This week we include a video for the twitchers among us. Here a hamerkop (Scopus umbretta) hunts in its unique way at the Kumana Dam in the Kruger National Park. The hamerkop is a medium-sized wading bird. The shape of its head with a long bill and crest at the back is reminiscent of a hammer, which has given this species its name, after the Afrikaans word for hammerhead. The birds are also known (or are they notorious?) for their enormous nests. Inside there is a space where the eggs are hatched. Both parents incubate their eggs and raise the chicks.
The footage has once again been provided by Katie and André of Two-V Productions. We thank them for their great videos. Please subscribe to their YouTube channel and follow their Facebook page. Books in their Op Vlerke series can be ordered from Kraal Uitgewers. The books, which are only available in Afrikaans, can also be found at shops in rest camps of the Kruger National Park.
